Iowa: Gingrich 32%, Romney 19%, Cain 13%

Miller & Helliker, WSJ: PA DA won’t handle PSU Case

We also need her attention to voter fraud prevention in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, particularly since Mr. Holder is disinterested…

“HARRISBURG, Pa.—Pennsylvania Attorney General Linda Kelly is the prosecutor in one of the most high-profile cases in the nation, but she won’t see it through to its conclusion.

“Mrs. Kelly, a 62-year-old Pittsburgh native, isn’t running for attorney general in 2012, and the Pennsylvania State University sex-abuse scandal is expected to last at least a year. She has been the interim attorney general since she was appointed earlier this year by her predecessor in the job, Republican Gov. Tom Corbett.

Wynton Hall, BigGovt: Loan to RFK Jr. $1.4B

“With Energy Secretary Steven Chu set to testify Thursday before the House Energy and Commerce Committee about the government’s $573 million loan to failed solar panel maker Solyndra, an explosive new list of energy loan amounts to President Obama’s top fundraisers, bundlers, and supporters has been released by Breitbart editor Peter Schweizer, author of Throw Them All Out.

“As the list reveals, 80 percent of all $20.5 billion in Department of Energy loans went to President Obama’s top donors. (emph added, JB) Furthermore, some of those dwarf in size those given to Obama bundler George Kaiser, owner of the now defunct Solyndra.

“The list—which features the likes of Google owners Larry Page and Sergey Brinn, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Ted Turner, John Doerr, and Al Gore—raises new questions about the procedures used to administer the now-controversial DOE loans…”

George Neumayr, American Spectator: “Chu Him Out”

Thanks Ted,

“‘The American people… just like your teenage kids aren’t acting in a way that they should act,’ Energy Secretary Steven Chu said in 2009. Chu was comparing Americans to heedless youth for resisting the left’s environmentalist decrees. The comment came as the Energy Department embarked on a nationwide tour of 6,000 schools to hector children about ‘climate change’ and as it propagandized the ‘broader public about how important clean energy industries are to our competitive position in the global economy.’

“Lecturing the American people on responsibility and global economics was a comfortable stance for Chu at the time. Americans were expected to genuflect before his lab coat. He was, after all, an unimpeachable man of science — a ‘Nobel prize-winning’ physicist, as the Obama administration repeated with comic frequency. How could he possibly be wrong about the promise of green jobs? Besides, another brilliant thinker, Van Jones, had vouched for Chu’s program. (Obama saw in this aspiring Marxist an expert on what makes economies hum and made him ‘green jobs czar.’)

“But now Chu finds himself sitting before Congress as the subject of lectures on irresponsibility, having been exposed by the Solyndra scandal as far more reckless in his spending and judgment than any wayward youth. The Nobel Prize-winning physicist and his patron, the Nobel Prize-winning president, pooled their intelligence to come up with a loan guarantee program that, by the time all is said and done, will have squandered billions of taxpayer dollars on bankrupt companies tied to their political and ideological cronies…”

“In doing so, he bucked opposition by some GOP presidential hopefuls and colleagues wary of violating a longstanding point of party orthodoxy.

“Mr. Boehner, the top Republican in Congress, spoke as time grew perilously short for agreement by the deficit-fighting supercommittee. The panel has until a week from Wednesday to vote on any compromise, but several officials said that, in reality, perhaps as little as 48 or 72 hours are available to the six Republicans and six Democrats…”

“It is one of the quintessential pillars of the Republican Party — no new taxes. George H. W. Bush got thrown out of office for violating that pledge. But Pat Toomey, Senator of Pennsylvania, is proposing new taxes. He’s proposing $300 billion in new taxes, largely through restructuring and simplifying the tax code. But they are new taxes.

“So we have the GOP willing to surrender a key plank and the Democrats are unhappy. They want more. They want the GOP to go even higher. Toomey says no dice. I’m starting to think he’s outfoxed all of us by throwing down his first proposal and making it also his final proposal and in the process showing us two things.

“First, he is showing us just how irresponsible the House Republicans are. Toomey drew a firm line in the sand and the House GOP seems willing to up the ante. It’s no wonder John Boehner, our Republican Speaker, has presided over the largest spending binge we’ve ever seen from Congress. House Republicans are not only willing to raise taxes, potentially more than Toomey, but are daring to call it a tax cut.

“Pat Toomey is also showing the country something else — something more important. The Democrats seem to genuinely not care one whit about American national security and now the American public can see this…”

PJM: Top Ten Richest Congress Members … Seven Are Dems

Insider trading?…

“Yes America, there is a wealth gap. Seven of the top ten wealthiest members in Congress are Democrats.

“The results are based on a new study released today by the non-partisan Center for Responsive Politics. The Center did an analysis of the financial statements filed by members of Congress for 2010 income and net worth.

“This revelation of extreme wealth by Democratic politicians is completely contrary to the public image of the Democratic Party. President Obama has castigated “millionaires and billionaires,” suggesting they are evil people, largely Republican or conservative. The issue of the Democratic Party as the millionaire party has not yet made it into the mainstream media. But the facts are indisputable. Democratic members of Congress tend to be wealthier than their Republican counterparts…”

Sarah Palin, WSJ: “How Congress Occupied Wall Street”

“… How do politicians who arrive in Washington, D.C. as men and women of modest means leave as millionaires? How do they miraculously accumulate wealth at a rate faster than the rest of us? How do politicians’ stock portfolios outperform even the best hedge-fund managers’? I answered the question in that speech: Politicians derive power from the authority of their office and their access to our tax dollars, and they use that power to enrich and shield themselves.

“The money-making opportunities for politicians are myriad, and Mr. Schweizer details the most lucrative methods: accepting sweetheart gifts of IPO stock from companies seeking to influence legislation, practicing insider trading with nonpublic government information, earmarking projects that benefit personal real estate holdings, and even subtly extorting campaign donations through the threat of legislation unfavorable to an industry. The list goes on and on, and it’s sickening…”

David Freddoso, Washington Examiner: Voters Prefer TEA to OWS

“Public Policy Polling, a Democratic firm that has been correct with most of its election surveys this year, has a new survey that indicates the Occupy movement is grating on people. Surprisingly, after two months of Occupiers defiling public spaces across America, voters are suddenly more fond of tea partiers than of occupiers. Even better, Tea Party favorables are up ten points from a month ago among independent voters.

“The Occupy Wall Street movement is not wearing well with voters across the country. Only 33% now say that they are supportive of its goals, compared to 45% who say they oppose them. That represents an 11 point shift in the wrong direction for the movement’s support compared to a month ago when 35% of voters said they supported it and 36% were opposed. Most notably independents have gone from supporting Occupy Wall Street’s goals 39/34, to opposing them 34/42…”

Occupiers

Shades of the French Revolution when “rights of man” were to be guaranteed by the state! A belief shared not only by “occupiers” but also by key members of BO and his team, including Cass Sunstein – known for advocating a new “Bill of Rights” – and his partner, Samantha Power. Ann Coulter (Demonic) has told this whole story…

Evan Brandt, PottsMerc: Occupy Pottstown!

“POTTSTOWN — Just as the ‘Occupy Wall Street’ protesters are being removed from the parks they’ve inhabited in New York, Philadelphia and Oakland, protestors are organizing a protest here in Pottstown.
“‘A friend told me they couldn’t believe that I hadn’t organized one and I replied, ‘Don’t think I won’t’ and then the next thing you know, I was,’ said Amy Francis, a recent Pottstown School Board candidate and Code Blue activist.
“The event, set for Monday, has been organized almost entirely on Facebook and in two short weeks the effort has already gathered 60 followers.
“‘I don’t think we could have come together so quickly otherwise,’ said Francis who was been made the group’s spokesperson by virtue of no one else volunteering…’”

Mike Lillis, The Hill: Bloomberg’s Blow to Free Speech

“New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s (I) decision to evict Occupy Wall Street protesters from a Lower Manhattan park is a blow to free speech, several House Democrats said.

“Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.), co-chairman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, warned that in preventing protesters from camping out in Zuccotti Park, the city has “effectively removed [the protesters’] ability to be there 24/7.”

“The concern to me was that the occupiers can stay there but cannot set up permanent location, which kind of begs the question of, ‘Are they gonna have a daytime presence and then be gone [at night]?’

“I wish there would have been something done to accommodate the ability for them to stay there for the duration.”

Tribute to D.C. Shooter

People form mobs and partnerships because of shared genetic preferences. Implication: the folks in the OWS gangs function as if one as they express inborn preferences. Such was true in Paris at the time of Robespierre, it’s true now in D.C., NY, and San Francisco. I am not surprised by the following…

Moment of Silence at Occupy San Francisco for White House Shooter

“RUSH: This is — well, you decide — this is last night in San Diego at the Occupy San Diego protest. We had a protester stand up and ask for a moment of silence for the White House shooter.

“PROTESTER: I think we should have a moment of silence and solidarity for the person that they said was from the Washington, DC, Occupy, that maybe why did he feel he needed to shoot the White House window today. So I think we should hold a moment of solidarity for the White House and for the guy that shot at the White House today.

“WOMAN: Occupy the police department!

“RUSH: Now, we get this audio/video from our buddies at NewsBusters. We don’t get this from the Drive-Bys. So this Looney Toons out there in San Diego stands up, a moment of silence. Here, listen to this again, and as you listen to this I want you to imagine the outrage if some Tea Party gathering had expressed their solidarity with Jared Loughner who shot Gabby Giffords with a moment of silence. You’d still be hearing about it. I want you to imagine if a Tea Party gathering expressed their solidarity with this guy for shooting up the White House. The media would be all over it. The media doesn’t want this kinda news out about who these people at the Occupy movement are…”

William Galston, Brookings

Francis Galton and Adolphe Quetelet gave us the idea of “regression to the mean.” It’s still generally true… “Average” is safer even if more boring. And we unfortunately make access to food and shelter a priority over what we believe. Many of our kids can be bought for an iPod and a ham sandwich…Thanks Bill Bennett for his lead to these two essays….

“According to CBS/NYT surveys, from Obama’s inauguration through the end of 2009, on average, 39 percent of the electorate thought that the country was generally heading in the right direction—not great, but much better than the 2008 average of 13 percent. But things have gone downhill ever since: ‘right direction’ averaged 33 percent in 2010 and 28 percent thus far in 2011. As of early November it stands at just 21 percent.

“It’s not hard to see why people feel this way. To an extraordinary degree, public attention is focused on a single issue. Fifty-seven percent of the people regard the economy and jobs as the most important issues facing the country, compared to 5 percent for the budget deficit, 2 percent for health and education, and 1 percent for poverty, crime and war. (Neither abortion nor moral values registers even 1 percent.)”

“…With little more than a year until the presidential election, two new reports—a survey from CBS/NYT and a CBO brief on household income—illuminate the treacherous terrain on which the campaign will be waged. The candidates will be fighting for the sympathies of an electorate that is utterly dispirited and in no mood for promises of uplift from either party. They say they want change, but they have lost confidence in the public sector as the agent of change.

“That would seem to give the edge to the Republicans, but unfortunately for them, most people think they’re out to serve the interests of the rich, who already have too much. That would seem to move the edge back to Obama and the Democrats. But unfortunately for them, the people can’t figure out whose interests Obama and the Democrats want to serve—or whether they have a plan that could translate good economic intentions into tangible results….

Gordon Chang, Forbes: The South China Sea & Obama

Mr. Chang noted three positive shifts in this morning’s interview with Bill Bennett:

– The US Navy is patrolling in ways that defend our access to those sea lanes, particularly for oil shipments.

– A thirteen-nation free trade agreement is under discussion. China is excluded.

– Taiwan and Okinawa are key barriers between mainland China and her navy’s movements into the Pacific Ocean. Further, Hillary Clinton is in the Philippines issuing promises about our continued support for governments in that area and our alliance with Taiwan.

“Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Wednesday urged claimants to the South China Sea not to resort to intimidation to push their cause in the potentially oil-rich waters, an indirect reference to China ahead of a regional leaders’ summit.

“Clinton reiterated that the United States wanted a candid discussion of the maritime dispute, which an Australian think tank warned earlier this year could lead to war, when the leaders gather in Bali, Indonesia, this week.

“However, China says it does not want the issue discussed, putting it at loggerheads with the United States once again after they exchanged barbs over trade and currency at last week’s meeting of Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation forum in Hawaii…”

Benson & McCormick, Bloomberg: Newt and Freddie Mac $$$

“Newt Gingrich made between $1.6 million and $1.8 million (over seven years, JB) in consulting fees from two contracts with mortgage company Freddie Mac, according to two people familiar with the arrangement.

“The total amount is significantly larger than the $300,000 payment from Freddie Mac that Gingrich was asked about during a Republican presidential debate on Nov. 9 sponsored by CNBC, and more than was disclosed in the middle of congressional investigations into the housing industry collapse.

“Gingrich’s business relationship with Freddie Mac spanned a period of eight years. When asked at the debate what he did to earn a $300,000 payment in 2006, the former speaker said he ‘offered them advice on precisely what they didn’t do,’ and warned the company that its lending practices were “insane.”Former Freddie Mac executives who worked with Gingrich dispute that account…”

“A think tank founded by GOP presidential candidate Newt Gingrich collected at least $37 million over the past eight years from major health-care companies and industry groups, offering special access to the former House speaker and other perks, according to records and interviews.

“The health center advocated, among other things, requiring that “anyone who earns more than $50,000 a year must purchase health insurance or post a bond,” a type of insurance mandate that has since become anathema to conservatives…”

“…Mr. Gingrich’s campaign said the former House speaker didn’t lobby Congress on behalf of Freddie Mac. ‘I was approached to offer strategic advice,’ Mr. Gingrich told reporters on the campaign trail in Urbandale, Iowa. ‘I was glad to offer strategic advice, and we did it for a number of companies, and Gingrich Group was very successful.’

“People familiar with his role said Mr. Gingrich and his firm were paid to provide advice on how to portray the company to skeptical conservatives who wanted to cap the firm’s growth…”

Rushbo Learned about Fannie/Freddie

“Have you heard of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac? You know, I didn’t know much about ’em until this news of Newt Gingrich. Newt Gingrich had a consultancy deal there, was paid, what, a million, $1.2, 1.3 million to consult. Why, you woulda thought that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, why, nobody ever heard of ’em until Newt became associated with them. But how about the fact that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac paid Franklin Raines $90 million? How about this guy Jim Johnson that ran that place for a while that walked out of there with over $20 million? Jamie Gorelick got something like $26 million working for Fannie and Freddie. And of course there’s Barney Frank and Chris Dodd, never mattered. The media never reported any of that, wasn’t interested at all, but now you’ve got Newt in a consultancy deal and all of a sudden Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are bad things. But up until Newt got involved, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, why gloriously helping people into homes and buying up mortgages and so forth. It’s just amazing how the media is suddenly interested in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.”

Daniel Henninger, WSJ: Keystone Pipeline to Asia?

Is Obama’s reelection in China’s interest? Particularly since Romney promises an end to Chinese currency manipulations?

“The decision by the Obama administration to “delay” building the Keystone XL pipeline is a watershed moment in American politics. The implication of a policy choice rarely gets more stark than this. Put simply: Why should any blue-collar worker who isn’t hooked for life to a public budget vote for Barack Obama next year?

“The Keystone XL pipeline would have created at least 20,000 direct and indirect jobs. Much of this would have been well-paid work for craftsmen, not jobs as hod carriers to repave the Interstate.

“On a recent trip to Omaha, Neb., Mr. Obama signaled where his head was on the pipeline during a TV interview: “Folks in Nebraska, like folks all across the country, aren’t going to say to themselves, ‘We’re going to take a few thousand jobs if it means our kids are potentially drinking water that would damage their health.” Imagine if he’d been leading a wagon train of workers and farmers across the Western frontier in 1850.

“Within days of the Keystone decision, Canada’s prime minister, Stephen Harper, said his country would divert sales of the Keystone-intended oil to Asia. Translation: Those lost American blue-collar pipeline jobs are disappearing into the Asian sun. Incidentally, Mr. Harper has said he wants to turn Canada into an energy “superpower,” exploiting its oil, gas and hydroelectric resources. Meanwhile, the American president shores up his environmental base in Hollywood and on campus. Perhaps our blue-collar work force should consider emigrating to Canada…”

Valerie Richardson, Washington Times:GOP’s Tight Southern Hold

“The South, once solidly Democratic, is more solidly Republican than ever after the 2011 elections.

“As the last state legislative races were called this week from the Nov. 8 votes in Virginia and Mississippi, the party of Abraham Lincoln now controls both chambers of every state legislature in the 11 former states of the Confederacy, with the sole exception of Arkansas. And Arkansas Republicans need to flip only a handful of seats in 2012 to make the trend unanimous.

“None of this comes as welcome news for President Obama’s re-election campaign. ..”

David Shepardson, Detroit News: Auto Bailout Cost More

“The Treasury Department dramatically boosted its estimate of losses from its $85 billion auto industry bailout by more than $9 billion in the face of General Motors Co.’s steep stock decline.

“In its monthly report to Congress, the Treasury Department now says it expects to lose $23.6 billion, up from its previous estimate of $14.33 billion.

“The Treasury now pegs the cost of the bailout of GM, Chrysler Group LLC and the auto finance companies at $79.6 billion. It no longer includes $5 billion it set aside to guarantee payments to auto suppliers in 2009.

“The big increase is a reflection of the sharp decline in the value of GM’s share price…”

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CATS is a conservative publication, almost free of advertising, and has appeared at least three times per week for the last six years. It consists of abstracts from the wider press, links to original sources, and sometimes, remarks by Jim Brody.